§ 32. Sir JOSEPH WALTONasked the Minister of Munitions if he can state the total cost of the hutments erected by the Ministry of Munitions for miners in Cleveland, also the cost of furnishing them, and the number of men provided for?
§ Mr. KELLAWAYThe total cost of the hutments erected by the Ministry of Muni 1625 tions for miners in Cleveland is £75,000, the cost of furnishing them £10,550, and the number of men provided for is 2,760.
§ Sir J. WALTONCan my hon. Friend say whether competitive tenders were obtained before the work was commenced, and whether the contractor is paid a percentage on outlay?
§ Mr. KELLAWAYI have not inquired particularly upon that point, but I do know that it was absolutely necessary that these hutments should be ready at the earliest possible moment, as the getting possession of iron ore was a matter of the greatest urgency at the time.
§ Sir J. WALTONIs my hon. Friend aware that not a single miner has entered into any one of these hutments since they were erected and that they have cost more than twice as much as they ought to have done if the business had been conducted on proper business lines?
§ Mr. KELLAWAYMy information is that the result has been that we have been enabled to secure an increased output of ore, which was of the greatest possible importance.
§ Sir J. WALTONAbsolutely no hutment occupied?
§ Mr. KELLAWAYI have not any information on that point.
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELWhy did the hon. Gentleman say that by the erection of these hutments they have been enabled to obtain an increased output of ore, when none of these hutments was occupied?
§ Mr. KELLAWAYI think there must be some misapprehension in my right hon. Friend's mind. I know that there has been brought into this district a very considerable number of outside miners.
§ Sir J. WALTONIt is in my right hon. Friend's own constituency.
§ Mr. TENNANTMay I ask my hon. Friend whether it is usual in his Department to erect huts at a cost of £40 per man?
§ Mr. KELLAWAYIt is not possible in these times to get hutments erected on any such terms as would be possible in peace times.
§ Mr. ANDERSONWas it not the fact, owing to quarrels between Government Departments, particularly the Ministry of Munitions and the Ministry of Labour, 1626 that, although these hutments were built, not a single miner was brought to occupy any of them?
§ Mr. KELLAWAYI feel sure there has been some mistake about this. The fact is that there has been a substantial number of miners brought into this neighbourhood.